Take Comfort In the Differences

There’s a strong call for gender specific marketing, but it’s not something we believe in. That’s because making things ‘overtly female specific’ can result in crude solutions that are patronising to the very women brands are trying to appeal to.

What we believe the real conversation should be about is how brands can better communicate with this most important consumer. It is not about dumbing it down or playing to stereotypes, it is quite the opposite. Understanding gender is one of many ways to understand people better, which in turn, helps us design better stuff for them.

The older I get the more I realise there are some differences in how men and women fundamentally see the world. As designers, we’re going to have to deal with these differences if we want to get the best results for our clients.

This new film from Unilever’s Comfort brand is a powerful illustration of how to do this well. It goes beyond any notions of the picture perfect or stereotype mum, and touches on the universal feelings of doubt, pride and love. In our view it works brilliantly. As ever, it even made Emma cry.